Unlocking the “Frozen Paralysis” After a Trauma

L. Jay Mitchell leads the Greenbrier Academy for Girls as founder and combines an enriching academic program with therapeutic offerings that help teens move past emotional disorders. Among the issues L. Jay Mitchell has researched and incorporated within his approach is the “freeze” or paralysis response, which is a causal dynamic arising from emotional trauma and the symptoms that follow.

In the normal course of traumatic events, the body discharges super-charged energies that were long utilized in avoiding or escaping real and perceived danger. Humans, as well as animals, typically enter a dormant “frozen” state following the traumatic event. This is followed by a gradually unfolding release response that includes vibrating, shaking, and yawning, as the accumulated energy is processed.

In cases where this necessary and healthy physiological mechanism does not take hold and the nervous system release process does not occur, emotional trauma can develop. Fortunately, even long after an event, there are ways of accessing this frozen energy and generating reflection and self-awareness, an essential element of the healing process.

Experts recommend a gradual healing and recovery process within an environment that is safe, quiet, and protected. The emphasis is on creating a personal growth experience that transcends the individual, through a community support element that normalizes the healing process.